Google celebrates 15 years in Ireland

This week, Google marks 15 years since the famous company opened its first international headquarters in Dublin.

Originally setting up in a serviced office on Harcourt Street with only 5 employees, the company today employs 8,000 - an increase of 1,000 people since 2017 - with the Irish workforce now spanning a number of high-spec buildings around Barrow Street and Dublin working across the entirety of the company’s businesses, including Advertising, YouTube, Cloud, Geo and Data Centre operations.

To mark this significant occasion, the company has launched its biggest-ever initiative to support local communities throughout Dublin: the Google.org Dublin Impact Challenge, a new €1million fund to support non-profit innovators and social entrepreneurs whose innovative ideas for change are making an impact locally.

Google will select 15 proposals, each receiving €50,000 in grant funding to bring their ideas to life, and of these 15 ideas, four projects will be selected by Google’s esteemed panel of judge to receive an additional €50,000 of grant funding.

Applications to the Google.org Dublin Impact Challenge can be made at http://g.co/dublinchallenge. Applications must be submitted by 6th December.

A choice winner will be chosen by the public for a People’s Choice Award.

Speaking today, Vice President and head of Google in Ireland, Fionnuala Meehan said, "Dublin was the first overseas location for Google and it is very much our home. We’ve grown from 5 employees to a workforce of nearly 8,000, and as Google continues to be successful, we want our city to share in that success. Over the years we’ve supported many local projects through Google.org and Google Arts & Culture, but the Dublin Impact Challenge is our biggest outreach yet to supporting local community endeavours."

Business World

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